Worldwide spending on IT outsourcing increased dramatically in 2003, largely driven by public sector deals, according to market analysts Datamonitor. According to the "IT Services Contract Tracker" report, global investment in IT and business process outsourcing (BPO) contracts worth more than USD100 million each rose 49 percent last year to 244 deals. The number of contracts agreed worth over USD1 billion each more than doubled to 29. Datamonitor tracked USD119 billion worth of major IT services contracts in 2003, a increase of 44 percent over 2002. The report says the increase was largely fuelled by new contract awards by government organisations, such as the UK National Health Service and the US Department of Defense. The biggest spending sector was central government, with USD18.5 billion worth of contracts, more than double the level in 2002. The defence sector was the second largest investor, with USD18.2 billon in deals.
US restores rural broadband funding
A US federal government program to accelerate the rollout of broadband to remote areas has narrowly avoided being cut in half. While passing a 2004 budget, Congressional appropriators followed the advice of the Bush administration to allocate around USD350 million to rural broadband loans, according to a report in the Washington Post. That amount is roughly half the figure that was previously authorised for the Rural Utilities Service program, an initiative that allows the Agriculture Department to grant up to USD700 million a year in loans for companies that provide broadband services to rural areas. Most of the funding was restored to the program after a group of tech firms and over 60 lawmakers protested at the cut in funds.
UK to modernise electoral registration system
The UK government has launched a project to modernise the electoral registration process. The government says that the project, known as CORE (Co-ordinated Online Register of Electors), is aimed at delivering an easier, accurate, secure and cost-effective electoral registration system and will pave the way for an e-enabled general election sometime after 2006. There will be two phases to the project. The first will ensure that local electronic electoral registers across the UK are standardised and made fully interoperable. Phase two involves the rollout of infrastructure that will enable authorised users to access local registration data centrally and that will support multi-channel e-elections. "We are committed to making voting more accessible and straightforward for the electorate and to allow people more flexibility in where and when they vote," said Nick Raynsford, Minister for Local and Regional Government at the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, one of the key stakeholders in the CORE project.
Welsh Assembly awards major contract to Siemens
Siemens Business Services (SBS) has been awarded a major new contract by the Welsh Assembly. Siemens, in conjunction with its alliance partners, has won a deal to provide IT infrastructure upgrades to the National Assembly for Wales. The contract is estimated to be worth STG200 million and is scheduled to run over the next 10 years. Siemens' partners include PA Consulting Group, Cap Gemini Ernst & Young UK and Siemens Communications. More than 90 percent of the IT work will involve providing support for the administrative side of the Welsh Assembly. The contract also covers the upgrade of support services for the democratic structures of the Assembly. SBS will be responsible for delivering the overall project and installing the new technologies, PA Consulting will lead the business design and change programme, CGE&Y will support the main programme office, while Siemens Communications will deliver telecoms and videoconferencing services.
Oracle announces new e-gov projects in India
Oracle India has announced that it started work on nine new e-government projects in 2003. Oracle is conducting the work with a number of local partners, including Tata Consultancy Services, National Informatics Centre, CMC Ltd and the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing. Oracle said its technology is being used to power IT projects for the Department of Family & Child Welfare, the Tamil Nadu State Electricity Board, the East Central Railway, and the Department of Commercial Taxes, among others. Oracle said it was now involved in e-government projects in 28 states in India. According to a statement from the company, the projects are largely in the areas of "streamlining revenue generation, citizen service delivery and work flow management in government departments."
Dubai launches prison IT skills program
The government of Dubai has announced a new program aimed at equipping prison inmates with IT skills. Microsoft has established two training centres in correctional facilities in Dubai, as part of its Unlimited Potential initiative, which provides technology training to disadvantaged people. The program was set up in conjunction with Dubai Police and Dubai e-Government. Eight technical instructors from the police force are participating in IT training so that they can coach the prisoners in basic computer skills and applications. "We are giving prisoners a great opportunity to acquire a skill that can help them not only be part of society again, but also be able to positively contribute to the growth and development of the entire community they live in," said Lieutenant General Dahi Khalfan Tamim, commander-in-chief of Dubai Police.
Quelle: ElectricNews.Net, 21.01.2004
